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New Altair 8800 Kit

grant

Experienced Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2006
Messages
102
Well guys, I'm finally ready to release the Altair 8800 Kit.

Please take a look at the web page: http://www.altairkit.com/

061119-completed_altair_1974.jpg


Yes, that is a picture of a brand new Altair.

Let me know what you think. Should I do something different? Include different pictures? More pictures? Of what?

Anyone want one? Its been a LONG time in the making.

Thanks Erik! :)

My hands are shaking. I've been keeping this a secret for way too long. First impressions...I wanted it to shine, not push back deadlines and keep you guys hanging. ;)

Grant
 
Judging from the the fact that this project was done from scratch and funded by Grant himself, and the cost of other replicas, I think $100-$200 is very optimistic.

Very, very cool though.

How many have you produced/planning to produce?
 
Wonderful! I too wish it maxed out in the $200 or so range, as that would make it affordable to everyone who wanted one, but considering what the real thing goes for, I find it highly unlikely. Still, fingers crossed and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one. When you have more details, I'll also post about it on Armchair Arcade...

Oh yeah, without knowing the price, I'd like to be put on the list, though I doubt I'll be able to afford it...
 
I'm sorry that it isn't quite that low. I wanted to price it at $500-750 when I started, but there is just no way that would work. My cost on the display/control card is $210 alone.

The price for the first 5 units is $1700.

This is quite a deal considering the kit sold for $439 in 1975. The 1K RAM card WITH 1k of memory was another $156. In 2006 dollars that setup would have cost $2228.64

I have around $10,000 into this project (most of it is the cases and case engineering costs, as well as PCBs and electronic parts). At $1700 per kit it is going to take quite a few to get out of my hole. ;)

Its possible that the next run of kits could be cheaper by $100-200. Its also possible that I will extend a $100-200 discount to those people who preorder from the next run.

I'm really trying to price it affordably. I had set a price of $2000, but I was shot down by John W for pricing it too high.

Is there anyone who would like one at that price? This is identical to a real Altair. It will run the same programs, and use the same peripheral cards.

Grant
 
I think that 1500 to 2K for an accurate reproduction like that is just fine. I'm not on your pre-order list. Yet. :)
 
Wow, great job. Yes, that price is reasonable! This is $2.45 a gallon year 2006, after all.

I talked myself out of getting a working ADM 3A on ebay recently. I really don't have that kind of room. My queen sized bed takes almost my entire bedroom as it is.

I cut my teeth on a Vector Graphics/1 so your kit is super tempting. You should be able to sell those quickly. I would be killed outright if one of those showed up here :rolleyes:
 
Wow, great job. Yes, that price is reasonable! This is $2.45 a gallon year 2006, after all.

I talked myself out of getting a working ADM 3A on ebay recently. I really don't have that kind of room. My queen sized bed takes almost my entire bedroom as it is.

I cut my teeth on a Vector Graphics/1 so your kit is super tempting. You should be able to sell those quickly. I would be killed outright if one of those showed up here :rolleyes:

I'm working on an Open Source ADM3A hardware emulator. The hardware can be purchased from http://www.digilentinc.com and "burned" if you have a Windows 2000/XP computer or bought from me programmed. The Spartan 3 Starter Kit for $99.99 has a VGA port, RS-232 port, and PS/2 port. Guess what plugs into each port? :)

Currently I have it working perfectly on a CRT monitor but it doesn't work right on either flat panel LCD that I have access to. By the time that I have the 2SIO and cassette cards ready I hope to have the bugs worked out.

I think that using a terminal program on a windows computer can be quite distracting. My real ADM3A doesn't work very well. When I got it I wondered why the baud was set to 300 when the card and ADM3 support 19200. So I changed both of them.

Well, when I push a key and get 5 characters (the keys are all dirty!) I found the reason. ;)
 
I know it's out of my particular price range, sadly, but it is a wonderful accomplishment and well worth what you're charging. Great tale about all the effort you went through too...
 
wow... i WANT one! i just wish i could afford to get it. can i use IRC on them? :)

now that would be fun. i can imagine the chat log now!

<Mike_C> hi
<someguy1> whats up
<Mike_C> nothing... i'm chatting on an Altair 8800
* Mike_C has been kicked by admin1 (Reason: you're sick in the head)
 
Eventually...maybe. :) A modem, shell account, and terminal program... ;)
 
Grant,

In the past year or two, someone listed an Apple I on ebay which turned out to be a replica. It wasn't one of the Replica 1 kits; but rather a homebuilt "new" Apple 1 computer. What are your plans for ensuring that nobody buys your kit and passes it off as an original Altair?

- Evan
 
Grant,

In the past year or two, someone listed an Apple I on ebay which turned out to be a replica. It wasn't one of the Replica 1 kits; but rather a homebuilt "new" Apple 1 computer. What are your plans for ensuring that nobody buys your kit and passes it off as an original Altair?

- Evan

I remember that auction, but I don't remember them saying it was a real Apple 1. I think it sold for $2650 or so? I've talked to Steve about it (he is the guy who made the Apple 1 kit) and its pretty much impossible to keep someone from trying to steal from someone else. All new PCBs will have www.altairkit.com on the back, but even that is easily removed. What are your thoughts? Original Altairs never had soldermasks. I am working on a "differences" page that should answer some of your questions.
 
How about engraving something - altairkit.com - on the back side of the unit? Looking from the front, it would not be visible, and if done in a stylish way, it won't be disturbing from the back side. Sure, a malicious (?) seller could grind down the engraving (or use Photoshop to modify the picture), but it would look suspicious when people ask for pictures around the unit. Or give the kits serial numbers in a different series than the original Altairs, if they even had serial numbers.

How much does a genuine Altair go for these days, compared to if someone would buy one of these replica kits and immediately try to sell it as the 30 year old version?
 
have 5 right now including the one I built for the site.
Would It be possible I could get one of the first 5? Or maybe even the one that Is built already? I've always wanted to get an Altair, so here is my chance!!!
This would be a cool christmas gift.:D
 
I remember that auction, but I don't remember them saying it was a real Apple 1. I think it sold for $2650 or so? I've talked to Steve about it (he is the guy who made the Apple 1 kit) and its pretty much impossible to keep someone from trying to steal from someone else. All new PCBs will have www.altairkit.com on the back, but even that is easily removed. What are your thoughts? Original Altairs never had soldermasks. I am working on a "differences" page that should answer some of your questions.

I would put "Homebrew 2006" on the back and engrave It on the mother board.
Kind of like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-1-Computer-Vintage-Parts-Kit_W0QQitemZ8742010035QQcategoryZ80286QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
How about engraving something - altairkit.com - on the back side of the unit? Looking from the front, it would not be visible, and if done in a stylish way, it won't be disturbing from the back side. Sure, a malicious (?) seller could grind down the engraving (or use Photoshop to modify the picture), but it would look suspicious when people ask for pictures around the unit. Or give the kits serial numbers in a different series than the original Altairs, if they even had serial numbers.

How much does a genuine Altair go for these days, compared to if someone would buy one of these replica kits and immediately try to sell it as the 30 year old version?

Thats the thing, they wouldn't make very much money-if any. There is a difference between someone thinking they are getting a killer deal on a $30,000 Apple 1 for $2600.
 
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